Turbine.



D. E. PERKINS.

TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.10. 1913.

Patented May 23,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' ZNVENTOR. 5, f

ATTORNEY.

0. E. PERKINS. TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10, 1913.

Patented May 23,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.2.

W1TNEsss.- INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

D. E. PERKINS.

TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10. 1913.

Patented May 23,1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Fig.5.

' INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Fig.4.

De ve ED O BEBK N or a r en M ssAcnusE s. si noa o Boson renam COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS A CO RPOBATIQN 0E TURBI E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented: May 23,1916.

Application filed October 10, 1913. =S eria l;No. 794,425

; dlesex and. State of Massachusetts, have innted' certain new and useful Improve.

ments in Turbines, of which the following 1s a specification.

Thepresent invention relates to turbines designed and adapted particularly to be driven by a flowing column of water, al-

though the principles of the invent-ion are applicable to turbines adapted to be driven by other motive fluids. the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described in detail is designed primarily for use as a water turbine, and is accordingly so described, and in the following particular description the motive fluid is referred to throughout as being water. I desire, however, to say at the outset that I do not intend such particular description to be taken as a limitation of the invention, but that on the contrary I intend the machine or motor herein illustrated to be understood as representing one possible embodiment of the in-, vention and that the machine. is adapted, without departure from its essential principles. to be driven by other motive fluids than water or to serve other purposes than that of a power. generator.

The objects of my invention are generally to. provide an improved form of turbine which will convert a greater proportion of the potential energy existing in a head of water into useful work witha smaller percentage of loss, than has ever been done'before; to provide a self-contained andcom pact turbine of which the rotating parts. are

supported with means for preventing friction and wear; and to provide other improvements by which advantageous results in respect toconstruction and operationof theturbine are secured, as will hereinafter more fully and at large appear.

The manner in which I accomplish the foregoing objects and others hereinafter described. is set forth in the following detailed description and illustrated in the accom ianvin draw-in s to which reference is hereby made.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure. l

is a side elevation of a water turbine constructedin aCQO-rdance with the PIlIIClPIlBSIOf The embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional vlew taken on an axial plane of said turbine. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section and plan view online 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4c lsaplan View; of a detail of construction of; the turbine.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

. I willfirst describe the details of con struction of the embodiment of my invention. herein illustrated and then explainv the principles involved therein,

.In the. drawings 10 representsa baseplate which; forms. a support for the entire turbine, henthe same-is d'esigned to beoper;- ated;w1th;1ts axis vertlcal, as here shown.

Rising from. the baseplate are a series-of vert cal guide vanes. 11, the arrangement of which is best shown in Fig. 3, which have a circular arrangement about the aXis of'the.

turbine and are tangential to the. circumference of the entrance portion of the rotor orwheel of the turbine, as. will presently be more fully explained. On the upper ends ofthe guide vanes. rests a ring 1230f which the inner and outer circumferences define approximately the limits of the inner and outer edges'of' the guide vanes. Rising-from thering 12 is. a shell 13 preferably cylindrical" in form which inclosesthe support for; the rotor or wheel, the throttling gate, and the mechanism for operating the gate.

Itestingupon and suitably secured to the top; of the shelll3 isfa top casingl h'which may be removed: when necessary to give ac.-

cesstotheinteriorofthe shell. Preferably thc b'ase plate, guides 11, ringl2, and: shell 13 are allintegrally connected together, beingmade as. integral parts of a single casting. /Vhile' the principles according to which thepotential energy-Yin the Water is converted into workd0 not depend upon having-the parts thus made-as asingle casting and the objects of the invention in'these respects would be secured as well by. making some, at least; of? these parts separate from others and securing them together in a sufficiently-rigid manner, yet as a feature of construction which results in economics of manufacture and in greater strength and accuracy of the complete turbine, I consider that the making of these parts inone piece isamatter of great, although 'minor importance; 5

At, an" intermediate elevation within the shell 13 is a fiangeor lip 15 whereon rests a plate 16 having a bearing sleeve 17 and formed with a circular rib '18. "Fitting.

against the under surfaceof the plate 16 and against the outside of the rib 18 is a flange 19 which forms part of a cylindrical member 20 which has a bottom 21 and may be called, both from its shape and on account of one of the uses which it serves, a cup. Said member, or cup, is also a hanger and support for the thrust bearing by which the downward pressure of'the water wheel or rotor is sustained. In the center of the bottom plate 21 of the cup is a boss 22 having a bore in alinement with the bearing or boss 17, and with an aperture in the end wall of the top casing 14.

A shaft 23 passes through the bosses 17 and 22, and through the central opening in the end wall of the top casing 1 1 and through a stufiing box 24 fixed upon said end wall coaxial with the opening therein. The a shaft thus hasa bearing at three points and is accurately and reliably held thereby inthe proper position and alinement. Said shaft as'fixed upon its lower end a water wheel or rotor 25, which is supported by the shaft in such a position as to receive water flowing between the guide vanes 11 and which is rotated by said water and drives the shaft. I will describe the wheel more in detail at a later point.

The weight of the wheel and shaft and of the water acting thereon is borne by an antifriction thrust bearing shown in Fig. 2, composed of a series of balls 26, which rest and run upon a ball race 27 supported by a centering ring 28 on a stufling box gland 29 held by the bottom 21 of the cup or hanger.

The upper ball race'rests on the balls 26 and on the race 30 rests a cap or head 31, which is keyed to'the shaft and is pressed upon by and underlies a shoulder 32 of the shaft. Thus it will be seen that'the shoulder 32 supports the shaft andrwater wheel and is supported by the relatively frictionless ball bearing, so that the waterwheel'ds retained at the proper level and is able to rotate" with the minimum of frictional resistance opposing its rotation. The bottom wall 21 of the cup, which directly supports the antifriction bearing is hung from the plate 16 by the walls of the cup and by strengthening and stiffening webs 33, and the plate 16 is supported by the flange 15 which forms a part of the shell 13 and is supported upon the base plate 10. Thus not only the shell or casing but also the rotor and main shaft of the turbine .are all mounted upon the baseplate 10 and the turbine is thusentirely self-contained. A function ofthe cup 20 is to contain oil to a suflicient depth to cover theball bearing, whereby "the latter is constantly lubricated and the friction and wear upon the same reduced to thesmallest possible amount. I consider that the amount that'it may run for years without requiring any attention and without causing or permitting the wheel to be lowered by any appreciable amount. Thus the thrust bearing may be located in a position where it can-. not be tampered with, where it may run in a body of oil, and where it is guarded against danger ofbeing accidentally struck and disarrangedby objects carried with the flowing water.

In order that the oil may not escape from the cup and that water may not rise through the bearing in the bottom of the cup, I have provided a stuffing box in the boss 22, in which there is packing 31 compressed by the gland 29. Another stuflingbox is provided in the bearing 17 comprising packing 35 and a gland 36, and in addition, a packing washer may be interposed between the flange 19 and the plate 16 so as to prevent water which may fill the compartment of the shell above the plate 16 from working into the cup 20. It will be seen that the cup 20 provides a chamber in which the thrust bearing is contained,which chamber is entirely closed so that no water can possibly enter it, and from which the oil supplied to lubricate the thrust bearing can not escape. The shell or cup 20 provides also a bearing for the rotor and a guide for the gate provided to shut off the water from the rotor. The first mentioned function is provided by a peripheral lip 37 at the lower edge of the cup which receives the upper circumferential edge or lip 38 of the rotor. For guiding the gate, which is a cylindrical member 39 surrounding the cup 20, the sides of said cup are made cylindrical on the exterior and finished so thatthe gate, which is finished on its interior has a smooth sliding fit. At two points, more or less. in the gate are longitudinal ribs 40 which slide in longitudinal grooves or keyways in the outersuri face of the cup 20, thereby preventing the gate from rotating. Said gate bears exter-- posite points to the gate by means of pins 14. The racks extend upwardly through slots in the plate 16, outside of the area of contact between such plate and the flange 19. A transverse shaft 15 passes across the chamber or space above the plate 16, being held inbearings46 so that it may rotate, and

carries pinions 4-7 whichmesh with the racks 43; The opposite ends ofthe shaft extend throughthe opposite sides of the top casing 14, andfon one end isfixed a driving pinion 48, while the other end: carries a counter-- balancing device 49. The pinion 48 is driven by an. intermeshing pinion 52 fixed to a shaft 53, which has a bearing in a bracket 54 fixed to the top of the turbine shell, and thelower end of which has a step I bearingv 55'rising from the sleeve 56 onthe side of'the shell through which the shaft 45 extends. Another shaft 57 parallel to the shaft 45 passes across the backs of the racks 43 and carries wheels 58 (shown in-Fig. 4) having flanges 59, each of which wheels engages the rear face and edges of one ofthe racks to prevent: the same from springing away from and out of mesh with the cooper ating drivingpinion'47. Theshafts 45 and 5'? arein. substantially the same horizontal plane and are mounted in connected" bearings, whichiare supportedon pads60 rising from the plate 16. Said plate and the-bearing boss 17' are stifiened by ribs '61'onthe upper sideandwebs 62 on the'lower side, arranged as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

It is practically impossible, or at least difficult, to prevent water fromwentering the upper chamber of the casing in which the racks 43 and. driving gearing are contained,

and therefore the walls of this chamber. are

provided with apertures 68 to permit free ingressand egress of. water and. thereby avoid obstruction to the free movement of the. racks in raising. and lowering the gate. In addition there are hand-holes 64 in the end wall of the topcasing 14, the limits of which are indicated by dotted lines in. Fig. 2, so that accessto the interior of this chamber maybe hadwhennecessary. It will be seen that the a mechanism described provides a veryslmple and easily operatedmeans for quickly raising and lowering the gate, for

enabled to secure great advantages in production of rapid motion and development of power reside in the construction of the wheel, or rotor, andthe guide vanes 11. It is to be understood that the turbine, when in use, is so set in a flume or penstock that the only escape for-thewater therefrom to the tail race is through the guide vanes and the wheel. The water above the base plate 10 entirely surrounds the turbine, and in of. water available, the power to be developed and thespeed at which the wheel is tobe run. In the. machine illustrated the number of's'uch buckets is twelve, although I" do not restrict the. invention to that number and reservev the right to provide more or fewer as conditionsrequire. The buckets,

or blades, ofrthe wheel are designated by the character. 65. They form the lateral partitions between the adjacent water ways, and the abutments whereon. the water-acts to impart motion to the wheel. The inner boundaries ofthe waterways are formed by walls 67 and 68, thefirst of which extends upwardly and outwardly from the hub or central'part of the wheel and the second of which extends downwardly and outwardly from the central part of the wheel. The spacebetween the buckets at the periphery of; the wheel is entirely open between the base plate 10 and the ring 12, that is, between the upperand: lower boundaries of the channels through which the water passes in entering the wheel; The wheel has an outer wall 69 which surrounds the lower part of the wheel below the base plate and forms the outer boundaries of the waterways in that part ofthe wheel. The portions of the bucket 65 above the base plate which the wheel is adapted to run. The I shape and formation ofthe water ways between thebuckets is an important feature.

In the entrance part of. the water way, the

rear boundary thereof formed by the wall 67 is curved: on a line or surface correspond ing to the curvature of water in falling freely over a dam. This curve in its upper part has a relatively short radius and comes approximately tangent to the under surface of'the ring 12. The radii of curvature become progressively and rapidly longerto ward the lower part of the wall 67, until the. point 70,'near the level of the inner lip of the base plate. is reached. From this point the. inner wall of the water way is I more rapidly, but still smoothly and gradually curved, until it merges with the outer convex, conical" surface'of the'wheel 68, the surface elements of whichextend on straight lines to the lower edge of such wall. Thereby the. water entering, the, water ways ofzthe wheel is allowed and caused to change its direction downwardly in a manner corresponding to the natural and free fall of water, and is then -discharged from the -wheel outwardly from the axis thereof to anextent corresponding to the free movement which would be given it by the centrifugal force of its rotary movement about the axis of the wheel. It isto be remembered-that 'a' stream of water passing through'any one water way is not turned back upon itself when the wheel is running in the intended eflicient manner, that is,

water thereon is suificient, in connection with theimpulse of the entering water aoting against the radial'upper parts of the buckets, to drive the wheel through approximately one hundred and eighty degrees during'the time required for'any particle of water to pass entirely through the water way.- The lateral offsetting about the axis of the wheel is indicated in Fig. 1 where enough of the outer wall 69 has been broken away to show the edges of two of the buckets.

Fig. 3 shows the relation of the guide vanes 11 to the buckets at the entrance portion of the wheel. First, it should be noted that all the. vanes, and the opposite faces ofeach vane, are tangential to the circumference in which the outer edges of the wheel buckets lie. -Next, it should be noted that the number of vanesis twice as great as the number of buckets. Finally, that the edges of the vanes and buckets are so curved and beveled that the'water does not strike any surfaoes'except those upon which it is intended to strike squarely, and that such surfaces are bounded by sharp edges. The guides divide the entering water into jets which are directed tangentially to the revolving wheel. and strike squarely against the buckets at theextremeouter edges there of where the impact will have the greatest and most beneficial effect. This effect is greatly enhanced by the provision of two guide vanes and the corresponding number of intermediate water channels for each bucket and water way of the wheel. Thereby the wheel buckets are acted upon'by a succession of distinct jets, each of which is no wider than is necessary to furnish a sufficient mass of water. If the number ofvanes were less, for instance, and if there the edges of the buckets where they are caused to act with the greatest leverage, and

the jets are made distinct from one another .and of such slight width by intermediate guide vanes that they are not broken up and their energy dissipated on account of being only partly intercepted by the buckets against which they strike.

space of considerable width between the outer edges of the buckets and the inner edges of the vanes. This space is necessary to admit the gate, and it is made by design wider than is necessary merely for that purpose. vanes the jets are able to cross such space and strike the buckets properly being thence deflected into the water ways of the wheel, without being broken up and caused to fall ineflectively into this intermediate space, although if the number of vanes were materially less in proportion to the number of buckets shown, a considerable amount of the water would be thus scattered and thrown into this space. Another virtue of the relatively large number of guide vanes is that they act as a guard to prevent the entrance into the wheel of solid objects flowing with the water having large enough dimensions to become caught in the wheel. Any objects small enough to pass between the guide vanes are also small enough to pass through the water ways of the wheel without being caught. The front edges on the rear sides of the guide vanes are beveled at 11 and the inner edges at the front side thereof are beveled at 11*. Similarly the outer edges of the buckets on theirrear faces are beveled at 65 When the water first encounters the guide vanes it strikes sharp g It will be no-' ticed that there is an intervening circular With my arrangement of inner wallsof the water ways merge with the surfaces of the buckets. on smooth curves as indicated in Fig. 3, this being also for the same purpose.

From Fig. 2 it appears that the under surface of the ring 12 is convex and that the upper face of the base .plate 10 is also amaware to make the lower boundary ofthe passages 'between guide vanes to a turbine convex and rising from the entrance :to the discharge ends of such passages, and this feature is one which is of marked value to my invention.

From the foregoing description "of the guide vanes and. wheel it will be apparent that the entering water first actsby impulse upon the wheel, being so zguided as to act with "the greatest possible effect; and that after striking the buckets the water travels through the water ways, is deflected downwardly by the inner walls thereof, and then further impels the wheel by reaction against the fofi'set lower portions of the buckets, finally being discharged downwardly and outwardly from the wheel at the opposite side thereof from itspoint of entrance. Ihe

wheel and: guides have been especially made in all sizes to offer the least "resistance and facilitate the freest and smoothest :possible flow of the water. In this respect the ripeculiar curve or the inner walls 67 of "the water ways and the outward slant of the lower walls 68 thereof is important. The deflection from horizontal to vertical-flow of the water is carried out according to the natural "fall of water, and the discharge is directed outwardly in such a way that *the maximum reaction of the water occurs at a wide distance from the axis where the "leverage is great. Finally the outward discharge enables the water toleave the wheel under residual momentum substantially equal "to thatdue to centrifugal force, and it "therefore leaves the wheel freely, without shock and 'without back pressure. That is, the

residual momentum ofthe water is of such a quantity that none of the energy given to the wheel is expended in discharging the water.

Another feature of the invention consists in'supplying air inside of-the cone of discharging water at asufiicient'rate to destroy the vacuum which the water has a tendency to form'byYreason of its outward movement from the wheel. For this purpose I provide a longitudinal passage 71 which extends through the shaft 23 from a ip'ointabove the surface of the water supply to a point at or near the bottom end of'the shaftwithin the space inclosed by the inner bottom wall 68. Without the provision of means of supplying air to the under side of the wheel, the outwardly flowing water would create a vacuum beneaththe wheel which wouldhave the effect of drawing the falling Water inwardly after it-leaves the wheel, and preventing its free and unimpeded discharge, thereby diminishing the efiiciency of the wheel. The lower end of the shaft passes entirely through the hub portion -ofuthe wheel, being tapered to fit the internally tapered bore thereof and "having a shoulder 72 whichabuts-again'st the upper end of said hub. The lower'end of'the shaft is threaded and receives a holdin g nut 7 3 which clamps the wheel against the shoulder 72, and a lock nut 74. A *keymay'be passed through the shaft.

Theouter wall '69 of "the wheel is also so made as to :give to the wheel the "functions and :capabili-ties'of a fly Wheel. It is made massive, having a greater quantity of ma terial than is necessary for strength alone, and the mass of material which it contains "is so distributed as to have ritslg reatest thickness at the bottom ofrthe wheel wherethe diameter is greatest. Thus the wall 69 pro- ,vides armass of heavy metal 'concentratedat th zpe'riphery of the-wheel where it 'maybest serve the purpose of absorbing energy and delivering'such energy automatically when requiredto overcome variations in resistance to -the1notionofthe wheel and to maintain such *motion uniform;

Another import-ant feature of the invention is that the entire wheel with its hub, 'bucketsgand walls 67,-68,"and '69is made as a single integral casting. This mode of construction besides 'sproviding thegreatest possible strengthand rigidity, has another e-ifect of -even greater importance, in that it 'enables the production of :a great number of wheels absolutely alike, making it possible to duplicate a correctly designed wheel, and avoiding any possibility of "some of the Wheels made according to certain designs failingto meet their designed requirements. I understand that the makers of all the cominercial turbines have had difii'cultyiin setherefrom will be absolutely uniform and correct. I I

Iii-ave already mentioned that I do not intend this particular description to be con- .sidered as limiting my invention to water driven by steam and other motive fluids, and that I also contemplate modifying the machine, also within the principles of the invention so that the same may be operated as a pump. g

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

'1. A turbine comprising a base, a circular series of guide vanes mounted upon said base and having guiding channels between them, a shell or casing rising from said guide vanes, a shaft centrally arranged within said shell,a wheel or rotor fixed upon said shaft and rotatably arranged within the series of guide vanes, having buckets and intermediate channels to receive the fluid issuing from said vanes, and a thrust bearing contained within and supported by said shell and disposed so as to sustain the wheel against the thrust of the working fiuid and against lateral shifting.

2. A turbine comprising a casing or shell having a base and a series of guide vanes and intermediate water channels in its lower portion, a wheel having buckets and water ways arranged to rotate in the space bounded by said guide vanes, a shaft to which said wheel is secured and by which it is carried and a thrust bearing supported in said casing above and close to the wheel and engaged with the shaft, to support the weight of the wheel and shaft and the water acting thereon. a a

i 3. A turbine comprising a casing or shell having'a base and a series of guide vanes and intermediate water channels in its lower portion, a wheel having buckets and water ways arranged to rotate in the space bounded by said guide vanes, a shaft to which said wheel is secured and by which it is carried and a thrustbearing supported in said casing above the wheel and engaged with the shaft, said casing having an inner chamber inclosing the thrust bearing and adapted to contain oil.

45., A turbine comprising a casing or shell having a base and a series of guide vanes and intermediate water channels in its lower portion, a wheel having buckets and water ways arranged to rotate in the space bounded by said guide vanes, a shaft to which said wheel is secured and by which it is carried and a thrust bearing supported in said casing above the wheel and engaged with the shaft, said casinghaving an inner chamber inclosing the thrust bearing and adapted to contain oil, and means for preventing entrance of water to said oil-contaming inner chamber.

5'. A turbine comprising in tsconstruction, a casing having in its lower portion a circularly arranged series of guide vanes and intermediate water channels, and having an open space within said series of vanes, and a water wheel contained rotatably in said open space, a shaft secured to said water wheel and passing through said casing, a gate arranged intermediate saidguide vanes and the portion of the water wheel surrounded by them, said gate being cylindrical and adapted tobe projected between the vanes and wheel and withdrawn, and a gate guiding member mounted in the casing above the wheel having an external surface arranged to be embraced by and to guide the gate, and having a bottom surrounding the shaft, and a thrust bearing supported by the bottom of said member for supporting the wheel and shaft, said member being internally formed as a chamber adapted to contain lubricant. 1

6. In a turbine, the combination with a casing including guide vanes and intermediate water channels in its lower portion, a

wheel located within the spacebounded by ,said guide vanes and adapted to rotate ment thereof and displacement of the wheel,

and a cylindrical gate surrounding said member and arranged thereon to slide endwise between the wheel and guide vanes.

7. In a turbine, the combination with a wheel and a casing within which said wheel is mounted, and an antifriction thrust hearing contained within said casing above the wheel in such proximity thereto as to prevent sidewise displacement of the wheel.

8. In a turbine, the combination with a wheel and a casing within which said wheel is mounted, an antifriction thrust bearing contained within said casing above the wheel, and means for excluding water from said bearing. 7

9. In a turbine, a casing comprising a shell, a member supported within said shell formed'externally as a gate guide and internally as a thrust bearing support, a thrustbearing mounted on and within said member, a gate surrounding said member and adapted to move endwise thereon, racks connected to said gate at opposite sides thereof, pinions meshing with said racks, a shaft to which said pinions are connected passing outside of the shell and gearing'arranged to drive the shaft for opening and closing the gate.

10. In a turbine, a wheel or rotor having jacent to the entrance ends of the channels being located substantially in planes radial to the axis of the wheel, and their inner walls being inclined toward the axis on a concave curve of which the curvature becomes continuously fiatter as it approaches the axis, the lower portions of the buckets being offset angularly about the axis of the wheel and the inner walls of the water ways inclosed within these portions of the buckets being inclined away from the axis of the wheel.

'11. In a turbine, a water wheel or rotor having buckets and intermediate water ways, the buckets adjacent one end of the wheel being in substantially radial planes and the inner limits of the water ways between these portions of the buckets being bounded by curves which approach the axis of the wheel and of which the radii of curvature grow progressively longer as they approach the axis, the parts of the buckets adjacent to the opposite end of the wheel being offset angularly around the wheel from the radial parts thereof, and the inner,

sumed by the surface of a stream of water I in a natural fall. I

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

DANA EDSON PERKINS. Witnesses:

W. W. Con, P. W. PEZZETTI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. e 

